Ingalls gets $94 million contract to purchase materials for new Coast Guard cutter

Bertholf, the first Coast Guard National Security Cutter, completed a successful Builders' Trials in the Gulf of Mexico on Feb. 10, 2008. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 passed by Congress in March of 2018, provides $1.24 billion for the National Security Cutter Program.

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi (Tribune News Service) — Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded a $94 million fixed-price contract to purchase materials in advance of construction of a new National Security Cutter for the U.S. Coast Guard.

"National Security Cutters continue to be extremely important assets for the coastal defense of our homeland," said Ingalls president Brian Cuccias. "These ships are enabling the Coast Guard's missions in not only defending our shores, but also in the detection and interdiction of drugs and other contraband.

"Our shipbuilders in Mississippi look forward to continuing this hot production line and producing additional high-quality, state-of-the-art cutters for the men and women of the Coast Guard."

The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major components for the National Security Cutter – which will be the 10th in the USCG fleet. The NSC's are designed to replace the 12 Hamilton-class cutters which went into service in the 1960s.

Ingalls is scheduled to deliver the Kimball (WMSL 756) later this year, with Midgett (WMSL 757) set for builder's trials in the fourth quarter of 2018, and the Stone (WMSL 758) slated to launch this summer.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 passed by Congress last week provides $1.24 billion for the National Security Cutter Program. The procurement of long-lead-time materials and construction of NSC 11 will be awarded at a later date.

"National Security Cutters excel at protecting our homeland because they have proven to be the most effective and advanced security ships in the Coast Guard fleet, said U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "I am pleased these funds will finally be put to work to increase the cutter fleet.

"I am certain our Mississippi shipbuilders will continue to do excellent work on NSCs 10 and 11," added Cochran, who will retire from the U.S. Senate April 1.

The bill also provided $23.8 billion for Navy shipbuilding, to include one aircraft carrier, two Virginia-class submarines, two DDG 51 destroyers, three Littoral Combat Ships, one LXR amphibious warships, one Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, one Expeditionary Sea Base, one TAO fleet oiler, one towing, salvage and rescue ship and one T-AGS oceanographic survey ship.